Here’s what our VIP Subscriber Amanda has to say about this new Upper Intermediate Level Series: “I just love this new series. That’s exactly what I needed. I can understand most of the Italian spoken on the series, and it is challenging enough to drive me on and keep me digging deeper into this marvelous language. For a while, I felt like my learning was stuck. Now it’s all back, and I’m improving everyday… it’s a beautiful sensation. Grazie mille!” – “Prego, Amanda, il piacere e’ tutto nostro!” – So, what is our friend Italo up to this time? As he’s walking to his business meeting, all of a sudden a female voice calls his name… Who is this woman? A business associate, an old friend, maybe an old flame? Listen to this episode, entitled “An Unexpected Encounter”, and find out!
Upper Intermediate – Episode Nr.5
Hello Jane and Massimo.
Could you please explain about the use of “dimme”, “fammi” etc. (Fammi pensare….)
Sorry, I mean “dimmi”….
Signe, think of “fammi” as “fa (imperative form of verb fare) + a me (indirect object)” — Italians think it just “sounds better” saying “fammi” – no logical explanation. That’s why they say Italian is such a musical language… 🙂
“Dimmi” is the same thing – “di (imperative form of verb dire) + a me (indirect object)”
Hello,
“Ci” is one of the tricky little words, difficult to get a grip on: I know it is a reflexive pronoun (us) and sometimes means “here”. But “Non ci posso credere…” or “…que ci fai qui…”
What is their function in these examples?
Anders, you’re absolutely right about the little word “ci”. The particle “CI” replaces a noun or sentence preceded by “a”, “in”, “su”, “con” (except when “a” refers to a person and is therefore an indirect object).
In the case of “non ci posso credere”, think of the sentence as “non posso credere a questo (or quello)” – “ci” just replaces a noun. In the case of “che ci fai qui”, note that “ci” also takes the meaning of “there”, so “ci” reinforces the “qui”, but it has no real usefulness or meaning – you could have just said “che fai qui” – that’s the way Italians talk!
A couple of comments about English translations in the accompanying .pdf file:
I think “prima del previsto” essentially means “earlier than expected.” It might be OK to say “ahead of time” but not “ahead of the time.”
For “Maria è dovuta tornare a casa a piedi,” I suggest either “Mary had to return home on foot” or “Mary had to walk home.” It does not sound natural to say “Mary had to return home walking.” 😉
Mi piaciono molto le lezioni di questo sito. Grazie mille!
Elisabetta
why does “you look great” translate into Italian as “ti vedo benissimo”? Shouldn’t it be “ti vedi benissimo”?
Would you also explain “ci teniamo in contatto”? Is it reciprocal?
Grazie!
No Anna, ti vedi benissimo means you see yourself well. I believe ti vedo benissimo is an Italian expression, literally I see you very well, but the meaning is you look great